Operation Colorado
Operation Colorado | |
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Part of Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam 15°40′12″N 108°20′10″E / 15.67°N 108.336°E | |
Result | U.S./ARVN claim victory |
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![South Vietnam](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg.png)
![South Vietnam](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg.png)
![South Vietnam](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e9/Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg/23px-Flag_of_South_Vietnam.svg.png)
![United States](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/23px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png)
20+ captured
Operation Colorado/Lien Ket 52 was a
Background
On 30 July 1966 the
Operation
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Vietnam....A_Marine_rifleman_with_Company_H%2C_2nd_Battalion%2C_5th_Marines%2C_Leaps_across_a_break_in_a_rice_paddy_dike..._-_NARA_-_532474.tif/lossy-page1-220px-Vietnam....A_Marine_rifleman_with_Company_H%2C_2nd_Battalion%2C_5th_Marines%2C_Leaps_across_a_break_in_a_rice_paddy_dike..._-_NARA_-_532474.tif.jpg)
6 August
On the morning of 6 August after preparatory air and artillery strikes, helicopters from MAG-16 and MAG-36 began ferrying the Vietnamese and U.S. Marines to their landing zones. The Vietnamese Marines were heavily engaged on landing, killing 50 and capturing 20 PAVN from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment before breaking contact at nightfall.[1]: 216
7 August
On the morning of 7 August the Vietnamese Marines moved north towards the hamlet of Thach Thu'ong (3) which the PAVN were believed to have fortified. The attack was delayed due to heavy rains and poor visibility prevented airstrikes until the afternoon. The Vietnamese made a frontal attack on the hamlet but were driven back twice before withdrawing to allow artillery and airstrikes to hit the PAVN positions.[1]: 216
8 August
On the morning of the 8th the Vietnamese Marines secured Thach Thu'ong (3) with no opposition as the PAVN had retreated during the night. 37 PAVN bodies were located in the village.[1]: 216 Also that day after 2 days without enemy contact the 2/5 Marines returned to Tam Kỳ.[1]: 217
10 August
At 08:30 as the 1/5 Marines which had been deployed in the Quế Sơn Valley with no enemy contact was preparing to move from Đại Đồng east towards Route 1 it began to receive harassment fire. By 15:00 as the Marine column approached the hamlet of Cam Khe in a heavy rainstorm approximately 30 PAVN were seen running across a paddyfield and were engaged by the Marines. Soon the entire Regiment was fighting the PAVN at close quarters, unable to call in supporting arms because of the poor visibility. At 17:30 the rains lifted and UH-1 gunships from VMO-6 and A-4s from MAG-12 began hitting the PAVN positions. By nightfall the PAVN had disengaged with the loss of over 100 dead, while the Marines had lost 14 dead and 65 wounded.[1]: 217–9
13 August
At 10:30 two PAVN Battalions engaged the Vietnamese Marine/ARVN Cavalry force near Vinh Huy in an all-day battle before disengaging at nightfall. South Vietnamese losses were 26 dead and 54 wounded while over 140 PAVN bodies were left behind.[1]: 219
Aftermath
Operation Lien Ket concluded on 14 August with the Vietnamese Marines/ARVN returning to
Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
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